


Grey Ships and White Gulls

by Minniemoggie



Series: Tales from the Lonely Isle [3]
Category: Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-05
Updated: 2012-10-05
Packaged: 2017-11-15 16:47:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/529421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minniemoggie/pseuds/Minniemoggie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ships have been sighted on the horizon headed for Tol Eressea but will these last great ships from Middle Earth contain the folk Legolas desperately wants to be reunited with</p>
            </blockquote>





	Grey Ships and White Gulls

Title: Grey Ships and White Gulls

Author: Minnie

Disclaimer: I have never been called Tolkien and am unlikely to be mistaken for a genius in the near future!

A/N The continuation of the story started in Beyond the Veil

The lyrics from Legolas’s song come from the stage version of LOTR

 

Grey Ships and White Gulls

The first pale hints of dawn threaded their way through the trees that surrounded Taur-i-eden built in the part of the island called the Land of Elms, the sun’s rays warmed the stones of the main house, bathing the structure in a golden glow. But however much heat the sun on Tol Eressëa generated it could not compete with the bright radiance that flowed from the elf that was just awakening on this very special morning.

Today, the last ships from Middle Earth were expected to berth in Avallónë.

Relishing this moment of peace, Legolas stretched out in his bed, his smile lighting even the dim recesses of his bed chamber, today was the day. Tol Eressëa the Lonely Isle would no longer be lonely for Legolas Thranduilion. Today his Adar was coming home or at least to what the prince hoped would soon be home.

In the too few days since Gandalf had broken the momentous news that the last elves were leaving Arda and taking the journey along the straight road, Legolas felt as if he had hardly drawn a breath.

His very capable housekeeper, Lady Nerwen who had been with him in Ithilien and then followed him to Tol Eressëa had thrown her hands into the air on hearing the news, offered a blessing to the Valar and rolled up her sleeves. After that she had begun issuing a series of orders to the household staff in general and Legolas in particular with all the resolve of a captain of a warrior brigade going into battle. When her lord’s parent arrived she declared all would be as perfect as she could make it.

Every room in Taur-i-eden had been opened, windows flung wide, stone floors, and wooden panelling polished until they shone. Furniture and tapestries, rugs and paintings, books and statuary, armour and ancient weaponry and battle banners and anything else that had been stored in the unused wings of the house courtesy of Gimli and Erestor were now unearthed, dusted, cleaned and put into place in the rooms that his dwarven friend had obviously had built for just this occasion. All those years ago, Gimli had insisted on building a house that would be fit for a king and his entourage and today Taur-i-eden would welcome its king home in Gimli’s memory.

 

Legolas sat up drawing his legs up to his chest and rested his chin on his knees while he admired the view of the woods from the window opposite his canopied bed. His father would most probably sleep in this chamber tonight, while his own furniture was being unloaded from the ship, then he would move into the great chamber with the raised dais and the intricately carved panelling some of which Legolas had been bullied into doing himself.

The Valar be praised that dwarven stubbornness had overcome elven thick headedness which had led Legolas initially to do everything he could to thwart his friends plans for the big house.  Gimli had ignored all of Legolas’s mutterings and grumblings about his new home being more akin to a palace and had gone about the planning and building with all the customary zeal of a dwarf working on a project he was fully committed to. Eventually Legolas had decided it was easier to let Gimli have his way over the design than it was to argue with him.

What he had failed entirely to see was that his friend’s determination was based on a belief that eventually the greatest king of Eryn Lasgalen would sail into the west and be reunited with his son and in that eventuality he would need a home fit to rule his folk in their new land. 

Others had also clearly had the same belief, for in his father’s absence many of the Sindar and Silvan elves already on Tol Eressëa had made their homes in the woods around Taur-i-eden. And it was not just those who had followed Legolas to Ithilien or known him in the Greenwood, but also many elves who had been with Oropher had also asked for permission to settle in the woods around Taur-i-eden. Those elves had then looked to Legolas for guidance and support while they waited patiently for their king to come home.

He should have had as much faith as everyone else Legolas thought now. Erestor, Elrond, Galadriel, and Gandalf had all tried to convince him that his father would eventually come, but he just could not allow himself that ‘hope’ for he knew he would not survive the disappointment if Thranduil did not sail. So he had closed his ears and had not allowed himself to heed their words.

If it had not been for Gimli who provided him with strength and purpose and kept him busy Legolas was not certain if he would have survived to see this day and to be able to greet his Adar in the happy knowledge of having a proper home for him to come to.

For now he decided he had better get up before Nerwen came knocking on his door wanting to strip the bed and lay on clean linens. Legolas had offered to sleep elsewhere so that the chamber could be prepared earlier but his housekeeper would not hear of it. He would sleep like a proper prince in a proper bed as befitted his station she had told him and although he had not admitted it, he was grateful for the rest he had gotten for even an elf could tire when they had all worked so hard. Crossing the room he entered the bathing chamber, here further examples of the dwarf’s handiwork and planning could be found most notably his engineering expertise. An ingenious plumbing system that Legolas did not understand, albeit that Gimli had explained it to him numerous times meant that there was both hot and cold water available in each bathing chamber alongside drainage that took away waste.

Gimli had been persuaded to install a similar system in the homes of the Lady Galadriel and Lady Celebrian, not that he had taken much persuasion when ‘My Lady’ had smiled at him, Legolas grinned at the memory of the red faced dwarf trying to explain without offending Galadriel’s sensitivities about the workings of his mechanical privy.

Gimli had left his plans and drawings in the hands of Erestor so that should there be a need for repairs or alterations after he had gone the elves who had worked with him on the project would know what to do. It seemed his friend had thought of everything.

Legolas had given thanks for his friend’s foresight on so many occasions since Gandalf’s pronouncement that he was sure that had Gimli still been with him he would have become so swollen headed he would unable to wear his helm by now. Still Legolas would gladly have borne hearing the dwarf saying again and again ‘I told you laddie’ if only he could be there on this momentous day.

How proud he would have been to see Taur-i-eden in all its glory, most of the rooms fully furnished, the remainder only awaiting the last of the pieces that Thranduil would bring with him. The kitchens bustling, the stables filled with clean straw for the horses that the king was bringing with him from Middle Earth.

Having bathed and dressed Legolas went down to the kitchens to snatch some freshly baked bread and honey and found to his surprise that Gandalf was already in residence.

His first thought was that the Maiar had come with bad news he hastened towards him his face a picture of concern. “Is something amiss, has something happened to Ada?”

Gandalf chortled, “No, no, here come and sit beside me and eat some of this excellent bread, I thought merely that you may like some company when you ride to the harbour.”

Feeling slightly foolish for panicking as he had Legolas ducked his head even as he answered that he would indeed welcome the Istar’s company.

“We should not delay too long Miff,” he told Gandalf the use of his old childhood moniker showing how keyed up Legolas was. “We must be there in plenty of time.”

“And we will, but there is time for me to look around the house first to see all the preparations that have been made for Thranduil’s arrival. From what I have seen even in the short time I have been here, there has been much achieved and remember child the ships cannot dock until high tide which is not due until well after noon.”

While he would have liked to have argued Legolas knew it was pointless to do so, so instead he answered “Lady Nerwen has had us all working from dawn to dusk” he bit into his bread and honey relishing the sweetness. “I never wish to see another block of bees wax in my life!”

“Yet you are happy enough to eat their honey” a voice scolded as Nerwen entered she eyed her lord’s clothing with a jaundiced eye. “I trust you are not thinking of going to meet your king dressed like that?”

Legolas looked down at his tunic wondering what could possibly amiss with it, but knew better than to voice such an opinion “No of course I was not. I was going to change before I set out.”

Clearly unconvinced by this assertion Nerwen frowned and told him she would lay out suitable garments in his dressing room then.

 “As you say …” Legolas’s sigh was heartfelt but resigned for he had long ago realized that a mere male was no match to a female who has decided what apparel was or was not acceptable in a certain situation. Instead he sought to change the topic of conversation. “I was just about to show Gandalf the miracles you have all wrought by your hard work and dedication. I could not have achieved any of this without you, you know.”

“Everyone has worked hard” Nerwen acknowledged his praise for her efforts with a nod “You harder than anyone else if truth be told although I am sure it will have been worth it. Lord Gimli would be so happy to see his dreams come to fruition as they have. All his plotting and planning, all his careful preparation for just such a day as this,” The housekeeper shook her head “Wherever he is now I hope he knows how much his efforts are appreciated.”

“I am sure he does” Gandalf answered her with a gentle knowing smile. “So, if we are to make this tour we had better get started.”

He looked across at Legolas who was just finishing off a third slice of bread and honey and a smile began to form on his ancient face at what he saw there.

Ignoring the raised eyebrow from the prince the Maiar took a damp cloth from the table in front of him and handed it to Legolas with a smirk “You may wish to wipe your chin before we do so, less you attract attention from some unfriendly bees who are wondering who has devoured all their honey.”

Blushing up to his ear tips Legolas did as he was bid then led the way out of the kitchen well aware of the smiles and grins he was leaving behind him.

 

By the time the sun had cleared the top of the trees prince and Maiar were riding away from Taur-i-eden with the best wishes of all of the elves who would await their king’s homecoming at the house ringing in their ears. Despite assurances that there was no need to travel so soon, Legolas had been determined to leave early, and eventually Gandalf and Nerwen had decided it was easier to let him have his way. ‘Fortunately I have a plan to keep him occupied once we each Avallónë’ the Maiar told the housekeeper as Legolas urged him towards the stables ‘else he would drive me loon!’

Legolas halted his horse long enough at the rise of the hill to look back at his home nestling amongst the trees. While the main house was built of ‘proper’ stone as Gimli called it, there were also open verandas and walk ways leading from it into the trees where elegant open flet were situated, constructed of burnished wood with beautiful screens of pierced ironwork. Delicate as these structures appeared they were in fact as solid as the stone that Gimli had laid beneath them, here elven craft of the highest order merged with the beauty of the trees themselves. Even Gimli had agreed that for ‘such flighty creatures’ the elves had done well!

“You do believe he will approve?”

There was no need to ask who the ‘he’ was.

“Legolas, your father will love it. Gimli somehow managed to capture not only the essence of your home in Ithilien but also Oropher’s home at Amon Lanc and add to it the elegance of your father’s stronghold it is a marvel that he achieved so much with so few of us noticing. I thought the carved panels in the king’s chambers were particularly fine,” he slanted a look at the elf riding beside him “Lady Nerwen told me you had carved them.”

The elven prince blushed at what he considered undeserved praise “I did, but under Gimli’s direct orders and to his exacting standards. Much of the work was done after his death and I never thought to ask what became of the panels after each was completed. At the time they were just a way of filling my time and keeping me busy. Even so I would never have finished them had not Ressor come to stay with me. He made me work on them every day and while I grumbled at the time it did fill those empty days after Gimli was gone, until three days ago I had not seen them for over half a yeni or so.”

“Ah Erestor,” Gandalf nodded, “He and Gimli seem to have made a fine team. They must have made plans for moving and storing all these things before Erestor accompanied Elrond overseas and begun moving things to the Havens soon after. I understand from Cirdan that his warehouses were bulging with packing cases and trunks all waiting to be shipped once there was somewhere to store them here on the island.”

“And he never told me about any of it” Legolas huffed “Told me that he was only keeping ‘a few things’ for Lord Elrond until they were required.” He shrugged “I suppose I did not care enough to ask, for all those rooms in the main part of the house were standing empty. At least I believed them to be empty I know better now. Gimli had even left detailed plans of where each of the pieces of furniture and hangings were to be placed and in which room which since we had so little time to get things ready was very useful.”

“You seem to have had a great deal of help in doing so?”

“We have, ever since the news got out that Adar was sailing; elves have been offering their services in the house, the stables or gardens or bringing us foodstuffs and drinks to supplement our own stores. There are many here who love my Adar.”

Gandalf reached across and patted Legolas’s hand “not least you young prince, your eyes are filled with stars today and your smile could rival anor herself.”

“I feel like an elfling on Yule morning” Legolas confessed “And yet I am terrified that Adar will regret his decision to come and not be happy.”

“Whatever makes you think Thranduil will not be happy?”

Legolas looked over the mountains towards Valinor where the Halls of Mandos were situated, “Naneth will not on the quay when he arrives.”

 “Do not let that concern you,” Gandalf responded immediately, seeing the fear and distress on the prince’s fair face. “Your father will not expect your naneth to be waiting for him, Legolas. Their bond is strong, he will already know she remains in Mandos’ Halls, and will do so for some time yet. Your naneth will wait until Thranduil is settled and recovered from those last hard years before she returns to his side. Her love for you both is so great she will not jeopardise your reunion by returning now.”

“But … But I want her here”

“And she wishes to be with you young prince, but it will take time and effort for you both to rebuild your relationship one with the other Glawar wants you to enjoy being with Thranduil first, she will come soon enough, be patient lad!”

 “Now you sound like Gimli”

“I have been accused of much worse in my time, now come let us get on, there will be much for you to do once we reach the harbour.”

Frowning at this comment Legolas followed the irascible wizard down into the town of Avallónë.

The quayside was already crowded when they arrived, families and friends, well wishers and more than a few who had come just to see the fun milled about most eyes on the open sea where far in the distance the topmost masts of the great swan ships could just about be seen.

Gandalf harrumphed at all the activity and turned to the prince at his side, who was craning his neck to catch a glance of the sails. “There will be time enough for that when the ships reach the harbour, for now you have a great deal to be doing”, seeing the question in Legolas’s blue eyes he explained, “you must arrange for transport for the elves who will accompany your father and will wish to go along with him to Taur-i-eden.” The Maiar seemed to turn his own eyes far beyond the sight even of the elves. “There are a great number of his household, who have no family here to meet them and offer them a place to rest. You will need to find wagons and horses, oh and while you are about it, find a secure place for all the livestock that will eventually be taken to Taur-i-eden.”

“Livestock?” Legolas blinked

“Thranduil is not only bringing his horses and hounds, Eru only knows how Cirdan reacted to his demands to stabling on one of his ships, but also cattle, goats and any animal that his folk wished to bring with them as they started their new lives. There are any number of raptors from the royal mews, squirrel messenger families, even the kitchen cat, and her latest batch of kittens.” Gandalf laughed out loud “Trust your father to insist upon each and every one of them being given passage. He would leave nothing behind that wished to journey with him it seems so accommodation had to be made. Even the trees from Eryn Lasgalen have sent seeds, seedlings, and saplings to populate a new forest here in the undying lands.”

“And I have to find a way to transport them all to Taur-i-eden before the ships dock?”

Gandalf patted the prince’s arm “I am sure such a talented youngster as you will manage it.”

“And what are you going to be doing?” Legolas grumbled

“I will be waiting here to ensure that you have a good vantage point for when the ships come into the outer harbour. “Now you best be off else your Adar will be here and he will surely have your ears if you have not got all organized to his satisfaction.”

Watching as Legolas hurried off into the town, the wizard sent a silent message out towards the ships just to reassure himself that all was well, Thranduil’s elfling was not the only one willing the ships to shore and safety.

By the time he had completed his errands it was almost noon and Legolas returned to the harbour to find the Maiar taking his ease at one of the many inns.

Gandalf beamed at him as he plopped down in a seat next to him, “You managed it then?”

The prince looked harassed, “Yes, just about, I have found wagons and pack horses as well as some grazing just beyond the city for any animals that cannot be herded straight to Taur-i-eden. I even sent a message home to let them know what to expect, I hope it is sufficient.”

“I am sure it will be, here try this local brew it is very refreshing and you look as if you are in need of a drink.”

Legolas drained the first tankard straight off, for long years with Gimli meant he had become quite fond of ‘ale’ although his thoughts remained on the ships out at sea and the precious cargo they were carrying.

He turned his gaze back to the skyline, now he thought he could see at least two ships, each one being triple masted, their sails billowing and filling as the swan ships elegant prows cut through the waves and fairly flew towards land. Around the tops of the masts white gulls wheeled and screamed, Legolas had fought the sea longing for over a hundred years before sailing west and thought it strange now the gulls and the sea itself had no hold on him. He wondered if his father had felt the call of the sea or just decided that the time of the elves was coming to an end and chose to depart, he would soon know the answer to that and many other things it seemed.

“When will we see them fully?” he pointed at the ships.

The Maiar looked out to sea “A little while yet, even then we must wait for the tide to turn before they can come into dock and longer yet for all to disembark. I did warn you we had started out too early.”

The prince shrugged this reminder off, “I needed to be here in plenty of time. I am only surprised Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel and their families are not here by now. They have waited just as long as I have for this day, they must be just as anxious.”

Olórin chuckled softly not answering as he thought which was that no one could be as anxious or as nervous as the elf before him. Instead he commented only that they would be there soon enough.

Slumping back into his seat Legolas did his best to turn his mind to other things. “I have been trying to work out how long the journey will have lasted for them. When Gimli and I set sail, we could both remember our last sight of middle earth and the pull on the ship as we reached the straight road, but after that we were never sure how long we were at sea. It seemed like forever and yet also no time at all. How long does the journey usually take?”

“Ah now that very much depends on who is travelling.”

Legolas scowled at the Maiar, “What does that mean, surely the length of time is the same whoever it is?”

“Not necessarily, let us just say that some who come here are more ‘ready’ than others so that they arrive very swiftly, others need time to adapt, to come to terms with what is to be, or to let go of what is behind. Each person, experiences the journey differently, so that for some they seem to have been sailing for a long time, others having accepted the necessity of the journey arrived in apparently no time at all.”

“Oh!”

“But they all get here eventually young one.” Gandalf comforted Legolas, “Ah and talk of arriving here is Elrond and his party.”

Getting to his feet, he drew Legolas up with him and as he turned Legolas saw not only Elrond but Lady Celebrian, Lord Erestor and the Lady Galadriel coming towards them.

“Olórin, Legolas” Elrond beamed at the pair, “Our long wait is over it seems, the last of our families and friends are coming home and in some style if what I hear is true.”

Gandalf laughed “Well given who is coming that should not be a surprise to us, I just hope that the Valar are prepared for this invasion.”

While Elrond and his family exchanged conversation with their old friend, Erestor went over to where Legolas stood. “Well Penneth how are you feeling today?”

Legolas shrugged “I do not know how to describe it, terrified, excited, overwhelmed; I thought I would never see this day and yet I have longed for it from the moment I first set foot on Tol Eressëa. Ada is coming isn’t he Ressor?”

Erestor put a comforting arm around the prince’s shoulders, “Thranduil is coming and very soon, look” the counsellor pointed out to see where the ships had pulled even closer as they talked.

“I cannot see properly” Legolas fumed only to be pulled up onto the table by Lord Elrond himself who had given up on trying to crane his neck over the crowds and had decided to use the inn table as an impromptu viewing platform. The pair of them were soon joined by Celebrian and Galadriel all of them peering out at the fast approaching ships hoping against hope to catch a glimpse of a husband, a father, twin sons or great and much missed friends.

“There straight ahead” Erestor called out, “look, look at the masts …”

There at the top of the main masts of the great swan ships flew the pennants of Eryn Lasgalen, Imladris, long lost Gondolin, and Lothlorien.

Legolas drew in a shaky breath at this potent symbol one he had not seen for over one hundred and fifty years, if the banner of his house was on the mast of one of the ships it meant his Adar was finally here.

 “It is time to take our places at the quay side,” Gandalf gathered up his flock, stopping Legolas from leaping ahead of him with a hand on his arm. “Do not expect to see your father too soon Legolas, Thranduil will in all probability be the last to disembark. He will see all those in his care on shore first and he will also expect you to act as his representative to greet them all and make them welcome. You must be patient for just a little while longer.”

Knowing what was expected of him as a son of the house of Oropher Legolas nodded and composed himself as best he could. As the crowds parted allowing the prince and Lord Elrond to take their place at the quay the ships began the manoeuvres that would see them come alongside the dock. Elves threw out ropes and hauled in sails while Legolas scanned the decks for just a glimpse of that much loved and missed face, but although he saw many faces he knew, the one he wanted to feast his eyes on most of all was absent.

There, however, were the twin sons of Elrond and Lord Glorfindel, Legolas spared a glance across at Elrond and Celebrian and saw that both had tears in their eyes at this reunion for their joy at their sons arrival was tainted by the knowledge that their daughter had indeed gone beyond the circles of the world.

Legolas thought his friends looked tired, but their eyes were bright and Glorfindel seemed to blaze with that inner light that only those born in Aman showed.

Also there were many familiar faces from Greenwood, Lothlorien and Imladris, but first down the gangplank were Elladan and Elrohir with Glorfindel who greeted Elrond with a wide grin and an irrepressible “I have fulfilled my oath to bring them home Elrond, now you can deal with this pair of terrors for the next age or two.”

Elrond left off hugging his son’s to embrace his seneschal, “Thank you.”

“You are as you know very welcome, Erestor mellon-nin” The Balrog slayer hugged Erestor close “It is so good to be here. I trust you have laid in a large supply of fine wine for believe me we need it.” At Erestor’s raised eyebrows he added, “You try being trapped in a ship with half the animals and plants of Arda not to mention a very large number of elves with attitude!”

“You most of all!” His old friend riposted laughing

“Princeling” Glorfindel turned to Legolas “Your Adar will be pleased to see you here, he is with Celeborn, and they are making a point of speaking to all who travelled with us before they come on deck. In the meantime there are many here who will wish to reacquaint themselves with you. Not least this pair.”

Elladan and Elrohir disengaged themselves from their parents and daernaneth to come forward and hug their friend and the trio were soon laughing together.

“Legolas” Gandalf pointed up to the ships “those from your father’s household, are about to disembark.”

Straightening his tunic Legolas went forward and was soon busy greeting, directing, and offering help and advice to many he had known since he was an elfling.

Lord Beliond, chancellor of Mirkwood, and Thranduil’s and Selinde’s tutor, and his son Captain Beliond.  Hirinwath, the Chief Healer in Mirkwood who seemed surprised to see Legolas all in one piece. Aneilear, Thranduil’s secretary who had with him a full list of all those who had crossed the seas and would be accompanying the king and who offered to take over some of the organization for his prince, something Legolas was very happy for the secretary to do. For it meant he could then help Thranduil’s horse master Kusinas begin to lead the horses from the ships, followed by Peneliss the keeper of the Mews in Mirkwood & gwiwer warden who carried a great hawk on one wrist and a basket containing a family of squirrels on his back while a pack of hunting hounds padded behind him.

Other old friends came to, Dior the bow master, Tauron, the master Fletcher, Hithuin, Afirwin and many others yet although all come ashore none left the quay all waiting

A roar of welcome went up as from the great cabin came Lord Celeborn who had eyes only for Galadriel and went straight into her waiting arms pulling his daughter into his embrace immediately afterwards. Behind the Lord of Lothlorien came Selinde and Lady Chi, and finally Corporal Brethilas who stepped out onto the deck and after a moment’s hesitation moved down onto the quay. A joyful Legolas was reunited with those who had been as close as family to him over the centuries before turning again to look at the swan ship.

Just as he thought he could stand it no longer, his father was there standing on the deck, hair streaming out in the breeze, deep green robes, embroidered in gold leaves. Green leather boots and a crown of Mithril leaves on his head, he was the personification of the spirit of the great forests he had left behind.

All noise seemed to cease, it was as if everything had faded away, Thranduil looked down at the dock but did not move, his eyes seemed veiled as if what they saw they did not recognize.

Thranduil wavered and had not Gandalf held him back Legolas would have run to him.

“He must step off the ship of his own will.” The Maiar whispered, “Else he will never cut the bonds that held him in Arda all those long ages and will never settle here. Sing, Legolas, sing to him of his new wood and his new life. Call him to you.”

At first his voice would not cooperate but as he gained confidence Legolas’s sweet voice filled the air,

“Just beyond the far horizon

Lies awaiting world unknown

Like the dawn its beauty beckons

With a wonder all its own …”

Elrond’s baritone joined in and one by one all the elves assembled began to sing, and as the melody dipped and soared Thranduil seemed to come to himself his eyes cleared and saw below him his son.

His face lit with such joy that all around wept as the king called out “My Leafling!”

Legolas leapt forward and king and prince, father and son, met just as Thranduil stepped from the ship and onto the undying lands.

Buried in his father’s embrace Legolas finally allowed his own tears to fall, his Ada was home at last and all was well with his world.

 

 

 


End file.
